Search

“Twelve significant photographs in any one year is a good crop.” – Ansel Adams

I’m on day 6 of my photo project, and already I’m finding myself struggling while going through my photos at the end of the day.

That photo is clearly not worthy of being the photo of the day.

Who wants to look at that?

It’s important to remember that not every photo needs to be significant — not every photo will be significant. The goal is improvement.

This photo project should be a way to look at the world more creatively, a way to discover areas that need improvement, and a way to practice a skill. Holding myself back and putting myself down because my photos can’t compete with professional photographers will not help me.

Ansel Adams is arguably the best photographer ever, yet he considered it a good year if he had taken 12 significant photos. How many insignificant photos does this mean he was taking to get 12 significant photos? I’m sure it was a lot.

This lesson is really applicable in all areas of life.

It’s easy to compare yourself with people who are very talented and let that comparison stop you from trying. It can be nerve-racking to put yourself out there, knowing you aren’t the best.

But, if you don’t take insignificant photos, you probably aren’t going to take significant ones. You’re definitley not going to improve if you don’t practice.

And whether you’re snapping a photo, writing a blog post, or practicing a musical instrument, what more can you ask for than improvement?